Mary Bidwell Breed (September 15, 1870 – September 15, 1949) was an American

chemist A chemist (from Greek ''chēm(ía)'' alchemy; replacing ''chymist'' from Medieval Latin ''alchemist'') is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties. Chemists carefully describe th ...

. In 1901 she became the first female dean of

Indiana University Indiana University (IU) is a system of public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana. Campuses Indiana University has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration of IUPUI. *Indiana Universit ...

and her chemistry work with

aromatic acid Aromatic acids are a type of aromatic compound. Included in that class are substances containing an aromatic ring and an organic acid functional group. There are several categories of aromatic acids including: *Phenolic acids: substances containin ...

Biography

Mary Bidwell Breed was born on September 15, 1870, in

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...

. She was educated at

Bryn Mawr College Bryn Mawr College ( ; Welsh: ) is a women's liberal arts college in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. Founded as a Quaker institution in 1885, Bryn Mawr is one of the Seven Sister colleges, a group of elite, historically women's colleges in the United St ...

, where she received three degrees and her

PhD PHD or PhD may refer to: * Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), an academic qualification Entertainment * '' PhD: Phantasy Degree'', a Korean comic series * ''Piled Higher and Deeper'', a web comic * Ph.D. (band), a 1980s British group ** Ph.D. (Ph.D. albu ...

in 1901, and participated in the Bryn Mawr European Fellowship at

Heidelberg University } Heidelberg University, officially the Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, (german: Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg; la, Universitas Ruperto Carola Heidelbergensis) is a public research university in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, ...

in 1895. She wrote The Polybasic Acids of Mesitylene, published in 1901, which discussed her chemistry work with

s, mainly derivatives of

benzene Benzene is an organic chemical compound with the molecular formula C6H6. The benzene molecule is composed of six carbon atoms joined in a planar ring with one hydrogen atom attached to each. Because it contains only carbon and hydrogen atoms, ...

. Before finishing her doctorate, Breed was head of the science department at

Pennsylvania College for Women Chatham University is a private university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Originally founded as a women's college, it began enrolling men in undergraduate programs in 2015. It enrolls about 2,110 students, including 1,002 undergraduate students an ...

. Her research focus was on

s and the atomic weight of

palladium Palladium is a chemical element with the symbol Pd and atomic number 46. It is a rare and lustrous silvery-white metal discovered in 1803 by the English chemist William Hyde Wollaston. He named it after the asteroid Pallas, which was itself na ...

. Breed was the dean of women at

from 1901 to 1906, making her the first female dean at Indiana University. She used her position to denounce the segregation of men and women into certain academic fields. Breed was also a member of the teaching faculty of

as an assistant professor of chemistry. During Breed's term at

, the status of the position of

dean of women The dean of women at a college or university in the United States is the dean with responsibility for student affairs for female students. In early years, the position was also known by other names, including preceptress, lady principal, and adviser ...

began to decline. Many universities and colleges across the country reported that the women in these positions were not as accepted among the mostly male dominated faculty. Her work is not well documented after 1906; however, it is known that she was on faculty at the

University of Missouri The University of Missouri (Mizzou, MU, or Missouri) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Columbia, Missouri. It is Missouri's largest university and the flagship of the four-campus Universit ...

from 1906 to 1912, and served as director of the Margaret Morrison College of the Carnegie Institute of Technology, Pittsburgh from 1913 until at least 1926.BREED, Mary Bidwell
in '' Who's Who in America'' (1926 edition); p. 332

Death

Breed died on her 79th birthday in 1949 in

Newton, New Jersey Newton, officially the ''Town of Newton'', is an incorporated municipality located in Sussex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is situated approximately by road northwest of New York City. As the location of the county's administrati ...

. She is buried at

Homewood Cemetery Homewood Cemetery is a historic urban cemetery in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located in Point Breeze and is bordered by Frick Park, the neighborhood of Squirrel Hill, and the smaller Smithfield Cemetery. It was established i ...

in Pittsburgh.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Breed, Mary Bidwell 1870 births 1949 deaths American women chemists Indiana University staff Bryn Mawr College alumni Scientists from Pittsburgh Burials at Homewood Cemetery